Chargers' season flipped with coin toss

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) is congratulated by fans following an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013. The Chargers won 41-38. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

The Associated Press

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) is congratulated by fans following an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013. The Chargers won 41-38. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) is congratulated by fans following an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013. The Chargers won 41-38. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) (The Associated Press)

But, mundane as it may seem, the coin toss Sunday helped the Chargers flip their season.

They return to the practice field Wednesday morning with new life, coming off a 41-38 win in Kansas City. An overlooked aspect to the result, although not overlooked internally, is the role of possession sequence.

For that, winning the toss was vital.

San Diego chose to defer, giving itself the first possession after halftime. Down 14-3, the Chargers scored a touchdown in the final minute of the first half. They received the ball to begin the third quarter, scoring a touchdown on that drive.

In 17 plays, the offense totaled 152 yards. The Chiefs had one offensive snap in between, an Alex Smith kneeldown for a negative yard. The Chargers began the sequence down 11 points. They ended up three in a quieted Arrowhead Stadium.

"Boom," center Nick Hardwick said Sunday. "And then off to the races.

"You score back-to-back touchdowns on consecutive series. Now, you're back in the game. Momentum's on your side. Just keep going out and plugging away. You've got good confidence. 'We've scored on two consecutive drives. Why can't we keep scoring?'"

The rapid fire capitalized on a Chiefs defense that was reeling.

It lost Pro Bowl outside linebacker Tamba Hali to an ankle injury during the first play of the second quarter. His replacement, Frank Zombo, had played only 10 defensive snaps all season, none since Week 1 garbage time in Jacksonville.

Compounding that loss , following the first half's two minute warning, the Chiefs lost Justin Houston, its other Pro Bowl outside linebacker, to an elbow injury. Replacement Dezman Moses had only seven defensive snaps this year prior to Sunday, all in that same Week 1 blowout.

Zombo and Moses took 59 and 43 defensive reps Sunday, respectively.

The Chargers kept the unit on the field, on the fly. They'd score 38 points in the final 31 minutes.

"I need to do a better job of being ready," Moses said after the game. "Because you never know, you're one snap away every game, every week. I'll be better prepared next week. ... I have to do a better job of preparing."

This wasn't the first time a Chargers game changed complexion because of the drives surrounding halftime.

In Week 1, San Diego strung touchdown drives to end the first half and begin the second, leaving the Texans only 18 seconds of possession in between. The scores built a 14-7 lead to 28-7.

In Week 4, a field goal and touchdown versus the Cowboys brought the Chargers back from down 21-10 to within 21-20. The Dallas offense didn't touch the ball in between.

A coin toss has flipped things the other way, too. The Broncos deferred in Week 10 to the second half. They compiled consecutive touchdown drives, and Rivers had only 16 seconds in between.

"We talk about it all the time," Rivers said. "We talk about the drive at the end of the half and the drive to start the third quarter, especially when you're able to win the toss and defer. And we did (Sunday). The Broncos did it to us and put them up 28-6, but the drive to end the half: touchdown. Get it to start the half: touchdown. We go from 11 down to three up without them touching the ball.

That's the best type of defense right there, when they don't get it and we're able to drive."